Steadfast and Strong
by Took-Baggins
Summary: Tokka Week 2012
1. Chapter 1

**My humble offering for Tokka Week Six.  
**

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**1. Bending the Rules**

"Just like old times? This is _nothing_ like old times!"

"Sh! She'll hear you, stupid!"

"What, you really think she won't notice us, Toph? We're in her closet! Where else would we hid-nngh!" Sokka grunted in annoyance as the small girl slapped a hand over his mouth. It was ridiculous. They weren't kids anymore. Katara would _kill_ them. Stealing was wrong. There were a dozen more reasons he could think of to no be in this situation.

Unfortunately the weight of an expensive box of sweet Aang sent from the fire nation was very convincing. It was hard to argue with food.

"If somebody would stay quiet instead of getting all scared like a baby, maybe she won't notice!" Toph hissed through the dark. They could see the waterbender through the crack of the door, rummaging around the room in confusion. Silently Sokka shook off her hand and frowned at her.

"I'm _not_ a baby."

"Yeah, okay."

"I'm serious. Don't call me that."

"Aw! Widdle baby Sokka..."

"Stop it, Toph!" Grinning, she tickled her fingers through the little patch of hair under his chin. "He's so cuuuuuuute!"

"Toph STOP!" He hadn't meant it to come out so loudly. In the muffled quiet of the closet, his voice was deafening and for a moment they were startled into silence. Sokka stared at Toph. Toph stared in Sokka's general direction. Cautiously, he leaned forward and put his eye to the crack of the door. Katara's face nearly sent him running. She was still on the other side of the room, but she was staring straight at them. She was livid, if the veins on her forehead were anything to judge by.

"Oh...oh no."

"You idiot!"

"This is bad."

"Of course it is!"

"She's coming! Toph, she's coming!"

"Don't panic!"

"She's gonna-" Toph suddenly snatched the box from his fingers. Tearing into it, heedlessly of the damage she was doing to the package, she began stuffing the candies into her mouth. "What are you doing!"

"Destroying the evidence!" Sokka shook his head in disbelief. She knew they were there, what was the point? Toph threw a sour look in his direction. "Help me, Sokka!"

With a sigh, Sokka began packing his own mouth. They were in trouble no matter what they did. He figured he might as well enjoy his last moments.

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**It was pretty funny in my head. Anyway, enjoy!  
**

**Also, I'm in the market for a title.  
**


	2. Parents

**2. Parents**

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It was different. They hadn't seen each other in such a long time it was nice that they could sit together in comfortable silence, as if it had been days, not years, since they had last done so. The whole of Ba Sing Sei was spread below them and though she couldn't see it, Toph could feel the constant hum of life vibrate through her. It was smothering and she didn't care for the large city. The occasional visit was tolerable.

How lucky that they had been passing through at the same time! She had felt him long before she found him, his familiar movements sticking out to her senses like a firebender in a dark cave. It hadn't take long for her to get to him and they'd been inseparable through the rest of the day.

They were on her balcony now. It was mostly useless to Toph, though she enjoyed the breeze that floated through in the afternoon. Sokka, on the other hand had been staring silently down at the city for quite some time. How long had it been now? She'd missed everyone, but the water tribe boy had been the hardest. Losing him had hurt the most.

"Did you get Katara's last letter?"

"...what?" She felt him shift and lean forward. She assumed he was giving her an amused look. "I ask her to write you before I left. You know, since I wouldn't be there to get the reply. Did you get it?"

"Oh yeah! It was a really nice one. I sat up here and admired the view while I read it."

Sokka scowled, even though he knew she wouldn't know. "What? You've never minded letters before. Doesn't that one guy read them for you?" She turned her face away at this, knowing that she wasn't good with guarding her expressions. Sokka was quiet for a moment. "Oh."

"Yep."

"How long ago?"

"A couple weeks." He patted he shoulder in a comforting sort of way and sighed.

"Well, his loss."

She turned back to him at this, heat rising faintly in her cheeks. Sokka didn't notice. "S-so...what was in this letter?" She wanted the subject to change. Quickly.

"Oh...just the usual stuff." He either didn't notice the change in subject or decided to let it go. Either way Toph was glad. She didn't want him saying nice things and stirring up old feelings. It was a pointless waste of time. "And there was some news from Suki and me." She didn't make a face, though she wanted to. She liked Suki alright, but as the floozy who had ended up with Sokka she felt obligated to harbor at least a little bitterness.

"What kind of news, snoozles? I ain't about to go dig it up and read it."

"Well," She didn't need to see him to hear it in his voice. The anxiety, the pride...the news didn't surprise her. It did hurt. "Suki's pregnant. We're going to have a baby."

"Oh." It didn't matter that he was off-limits. It didn't matter that she realized long ago that he'd never want her like that. It was still hard to hear and Toph could feel something crumble a little inside her. "Wow. That's great."

"Isn't...Toph?" Concern dampened the happiness in his voice. She swore inwardly and grinned emptily at him. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm...I'm tired. All the traveling. You know."

"Oh." She wasn't good enough at faking emotions to have fooled him, but he knew when to leave her alone about something. They sat in silence for several long moments. He didn't seem to know what to say concerning her less-than-ecstatic reaction.

After a while, the silence became unbearable. Toph jabbed Sokka in the ribs with her elbow, a small, genuine smile on her face. "Hey, you know what? You're really going to be a great dad."

"Yeah?"

"Definitely." She felt him shift again, but didn't wait to see more. Still grinning, she hopped up and strode away inside, leaving a slightly confused, but mostly saddened Sokka on the balcony alone.

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**I don't think Toph would have disliked Suki. Actually I think they could have become pretty good friends eventually. Given her feelings for Sokka, though, I'm sure there was just a little bit of hard feelings there somewhere.**

**This didn't turn out quite like I planned it, but I like it. ^_^**


	3. Bedtime

**3. Bedtime**

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Toph wasn't a snuggler. No, she was much too tough for that. She merely tolerated snuggling because Sokka enjoyed it. There was absolutely no other reason. She didn't like curling into him beneath their blanket as their shared heat guarded them against the snow outside. She didn't care for it when he wrapped his arms around her, when he sheltered her from the pain, the worry, the fears their lives brought upon them. She could take care of herself.

She hated it when he ran his fingers through her hair. It grated on her nerves when he whispered sweet things into her ears. It made her want to punch him. When he kissed her it made her want to kill him.

She tolerated it for Sokka, because he loved to touch her and hold her and watch over her. Because he wanted to snuggle and tease her and kiss her lightly on the forehead. Because when they retired for the evening all of her defences came crashing down and he was there.

She tolerated it because she loved him, and once in a while she could afford to be soft.

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**Title has been changed.**


	4. Duty

**4. Duty**

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Aang hoped his presence was reassuring, though what reassurance was going to do for Sokka he didn't know. The avatar was quiet as he stood next to his brother-in-law, close enough to brush their arms together and offer solace in the minute touch.

Ocassionally Aang would shift, glancing toward the other man, checking on him. The blank expression on Sokka's face never changed. There was no anger. There was no grief. There was no shock, only and emptiness that intensified the ache in his own chest. How long had it been since they'd come to stand there in silence? He wasn't sure, but he felt the need to break the silence somehow

"Sokka...sometimes...Things are just..." He trailed off with a sigh. Sokka had sagged a little when Aang started to speak, but his expression remained the same. Cautiously, Aang lifted his arm to rest it on the other's shoulder. "I'm sorry."

Nothing.

"I think...we should try to remember that she believed in what we were doing. Toph loved what she did, and...and she knew the risks." Sokka was silent as he slouched against the railing in front of them. He was guarded, but Aanga could see a faint line creasing the smooth skin between his eyes and a subtle clenching in his jaw. "It's terrible, what happened. And I know it's hard, Sokka, but we should..." A huff interrupted him as Sokka straightened and glanced at him. It was easy to see now the strain in my face, the grief in his reddened eyes. For a long moment they looked at easch other.

"Don't, Aang." He said finally. His voice was rough from the varied emotions they'd both dealt with that day, and it struck Aang that he sounded older, more tired.

It was all he got. Having said his piece, Sokka retreated inside without another word. Aang couldn't help the tears that welled in his eyes as he watched him go. In the back of his mind he wondered: they had already lost Toph. How long until they lost someone else?

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**Toph is dead, if it wasn't obvious already.**


	5. Loose Cannon

**5. Loose Cannon**

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Lin stood proudly over him, one little foot planted squarely on his chest, fists firmly on her hips, and a snarl on her face. She looked down at him with the utmost contempt. "See? This is what happens when you mess with the Bei Fong family."

He cringed away from her and pouted. "I never thought you'd catch me, chief Lin! How did you ever do it?" The question cause a soft thoughtfulness to cross the little girl's face. Her eyes floated to her mother, who was lounging nearby while listening in on their game. "Well?" he pressed when she didn't say anything. "What, nothing to say? Can't explain it? That's because it was nothing but luck. You'll never really catch me, I'm too good!" Suddenly springing into motion, he twisted out from under her and hopped to his feet. Lin protested as he sprinted across the grass, well out of her reach. Her shrill voice rang out over the wind in his ears. "Moooooooom!"

The dirt beneath his feet shifted and rolled, sending him face first into the dirt. Toph sneered at him across the yard. "She caught you because no rotten piece of garbage can outdo a Bei Fong."

Lin "pinned" him down once again as Sokka sighed into the dirt. Their games of "Loose Cannon Cop" always did feel a little one-sided.

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**I think I'm late enough now that I can post the last few in whatever order I do them in. Heh.**


End file.
